Raising mallard ducklings.

[chickenpal147]

I’ve raised mallard ducklings from hatcheries before and I have hatched my own from eggs I bought from hatcheries. I know that mallards are supposed to be marked either with a hole punched out of their webbing or by removing a toe. I’ve always removed the right back toe when they are a few days old. This last clutch I hatched from eggs on November 4th and had put off removing their toe for various reasons. My question is can I still remove the toe or are there other non invasive ways I can mark them. (Mallards need to be marked to prove they are domestic or from a breeder, because taking eggs from a wild mallards nest to raise as pets is illegal.)

 

[Stipenvlerk]

I don't live in Missouri, so am not familiar with the specific rules there, but couldn't you just gave them a non-removable ring? For mallards the size is 12mm according to our national waterfowl people. They are in the time window agewise to do so...

https://images.app.goo.gl/UMKvjJDpSKufYtvM6

Here we have to ring all domestic waterfowl with these type of rings. punching a hole in their web is very occasionally done here, not common practice at all. Even gets discouraged... When you go to a show, those ducks won't get a high review

 

[Miss Lydia]

I’ve raised mallard ducklings from hatcheries before and I have hatched my own from eggs I bought from hatcheries. I know that mallards are supposed to be marked either with a hole punched out of their webbing or by removing a toe. I’ve always removed the right back toe when they are a few days old. This last clutch I hatched from eggs on November 4th and had put off removing their toe for various reasons. My question is can I still remove the toe or are there other non invasive ways I can mark them. (Mallards need to be marked to prove they are domestic or from a breeder, because taking eggs from a wild mallards nest to raise as pets is illegal.)

I'd be worried there maybe a lot of bleeding if you do it now. Hole punch would be better or try and find out if you just band them like @Stipenvlerk rec.